Cooking a high-protein meal is often easier said than done. Sure, a whole-roasted chicken or an extravagant beef stew will taste amazing and fill you up in all the right ways, but those classic dishes take a lot of time and forethought to actually properly prepare. And this is the case with many well-known protein sources—dishes with beef, pork, and even lentils usually need hours of prep and a million different kitchen gadgets, and that can be hard when you want food in a pinch. But you can get a well-rounded, protein-packed, even impressively-complicated-looking meal without turning your kitchen into the set of Master Chef.

Fear not: There is a way and it's so insanely easy, you'll wonder how you didn't think of it sooner. All you need is a single pot or pan and these 9 trustworthy one-pan meals. That means less stress while you're cooking and fewer things to clean up afterward. Use these high-protein, low-calorie recipes to make a meal, without breaking a sweat. File them away, and prepare to fall in love with your pot.

Dairy and lentils are both excellent sources of protein, and both take centerstage in this creamy stew. The whole dish only needs about 10 minutes of active cooking time and 30 to 45 minutes to stew. Set it, forget it, then eat. Get the recipe here.

This classic chicken recipe is an excellent way to satisfy both your protein and veggie needs—it's packed with bell peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes. It takes about 30 to 40 minutes to cook on the stove, but if you want to be super hands off and have a little more time to spare, you can pop it in the oven and let it cook there for about 50 minutes. Get the recipe here.

OK, so this dish isn't exactly "cheesy". The recipe uses nutritional yeast (another great protein source) to get that cheese-like flavor. Quinoa and black beans also help make it an excellent high-protein vegan dinner option. Get the recipe here.

This might just be the pasta dish you didn't know you needed. All that chicken provides a hefty amount of protein, while veggies and avocados round out the dish with flavor and nutrients. Get the recipe here.

The best thing about mac and cheese? All that dairy has a lot of protein (and it tastes pretty darn good, too). This chili-mac gets a little extra protein from black beans. Bonus: It's a hearty vegetarian dinner option. Get the recipe here.